Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Coquimbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Santiago and Coquimbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Santiago versus $1,087 in Coquimbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,013 in Santiago versus $1,651 in Coquimbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,756 in Santiago versus $2,214 in Coquimbo.

Living in Santiago is roughly 17% more expensive than Coquimbo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Santiago 5% lower, Coquimbo 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.93 CLP 9,698

$8.71 CLP 7,726

25.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 CLP 47.1K

$43.69 CLP 38.8K

21.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 CLP 7,367

$7.77 CLP 6,895

6.82%

Cappuccino

$3.11 CLP 2,762

$2.80 CLP 2,483

11.07%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 CLP 1,587

$1.30 CLP 1,154

37.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 CLP 1,144

$1.06 CLP 940

21.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 CLP 2,829

$3.26 CLP 2,893

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 CLP 3,897

$4.07 CLP 3,608

7.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 CLP 1,061

$1.10 CLP 978

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 CLP 1,409

$1.58 CLP 1,405

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 CLP 1,931

$1.92 CLP 1,706

13.54%

Eggs

$4.14 CLP 3,671

$3.57 CLP 3,172

15.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,456

$10.37 CLP 9,204

2.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 CLP 5,748

$6.54 CLP 5,803

-0.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 CLP 9,579

$11.05 CLP 9,804

-2.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 CLP 1,779

$1.83 CLP 1,622

9.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 CLP 1,450

$1.56 CLP 1,381

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 CLP 1,891

$1.52 CLP 1,353

40.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 CLP 1,630

$1.50 CLP 1,330

22.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 CLP 1,734

$1.24 CLP 1,105

57.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CLP 1,487

$1.37 CLP 1,215

22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 CLP 1,147

$1.25 CLP 1,113

3.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 CLP 1,054

$1.22 CLP 1,079

-2.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.56 CLP 4,935

$5.33 CLP 4,734

4.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 CLP 6,010

$6.31 CLP 5,596

7.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 CLP 1,365

$1.59 CLP 1,414

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 CLP 2,195

$2.33 CLP 2,064

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 CLP 754

$0.58 CLP 517

46.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 CLP 37.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 445

$0.50 CLP 446

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 CLP 1,268

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.70 CLP 10.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 CLP 1,215

$1.37 CLP 1,216

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.6K CLP 17.4M

$19.2K CLP 17.1M

2.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.6K CLP 20.1M

$21.2K CLP 18.8M

6.76%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$133 CLP 118.4K

$134 CLP 119.1K

-0.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.65 CLP 12.1K

$13.41 CLP 11.9K

1.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.85 CLP 19.4K

$21.57 CLP 19.1K

1.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.74 CLP 29.9K

$38.03 CLP 33.8K

-11.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.94 CLP 18.6K

$21.31 CLP 18.9K

-1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 CLP 5,817

$5.70 CLP 5,063

14.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$436 CLP 387.1K

$434 CLP 385.1K

0.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,621 CLP 7.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CLP 48.8K

$50.7 CLP 45.0K

8.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.75 CLP 29.1K

$29.80 CLP 26.5K

9.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 CLP 67.4K

$60.7 CLP 53.8K

25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 CLP 74.1K

$81.6 CLP 72.4K

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 CLP 460.6K

$486 CLP 431.0K

6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 CLP 415.5K

$375 CLP 332.8K

24.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 CLP 897.8K

$887 CLP 787.5K

14.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 CLP 787.7K

$604 CLP 536.0K

46.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 CLP 2.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,897 CLP 2.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 CLP 784.5K

$674 CLP 597.8K

31.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Santiago: May 31, 2026

Last update for Coquimbo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $519 in Santiago and $486 in Coquimbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Santiago vs $44.00 in Coquimbo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $229 per month, with Coquimbo cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Santiago vs Coquimbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santiago and Coquimbo differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,270 vs $1,087 including rent). Coquimbo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santiago pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $519 in Santiago versus $486 in Coquimbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Santiago versus $434 in Coquimbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Coquimbo – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $53.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,087 in Coquimbo versus $1,270 in Santiago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Coquimbo but tight or insufficient in Santiago. The gap between the two cities makes Coquimbo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Coquimbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.